U.S. patent application number 10/704968 was filed with the patent office on 2004-06-24 for system and method for notifying device information in response to user request.
This patent application is currently assigned to FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Mitsutake, Katsuya, Okuyama, Junichi, Yoshimura, Koichi.
Application Number | 20040122999 10/704968 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32588360 |
Filed Date | 2004-06-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040122999 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Okuyama, Junichi ; et
al. |
June 24, 2004 |
System and method for notifying device information in response to
user request
Abstract
A device which is a network adaptable device comprises a request
input section for inputting an email address designated by a user,
as a device information acquisition request and an information
transmission processing section for transmitting a network address
and device attribute information of the device as device
information to a user terminal device while addressing to the email
address input via the request input section. The user terminal
device comprises an information acquisition section for obtaining
the device information transmitted from the device. An email
address can be designated via the device, which may be located in
front of the user, and the user obtains a network address or the
like of the device. As described above, device information of the
device which the user wishes to use can readily be obtained.
Inventors: |
Okuyama, Junichi;
(Ashigarakami-gun, JP) ; Mitsutake, Katsuya;
(Ashigarakami-gun, JP) ; Yoshimura, Koichi;
(Ashigarakami-gun, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 19928
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320
US
|
Assignee: |
FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
Minato-ku
JP
|
Family ID: |
32588360 |
Appl. No.: |
10/704968 |
Filed: |
November 12, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
710/52 ;
710/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 67/025
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
710/052 ;
710/001 |
International
Class: |
G06F 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 19, 2002 |
JP |
2002-368229 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device information notification system for notifying a user of
device information of a device connected to a network which the
user uses, comprising: request input means for inputting a
transmission destination designated by the user; information
transmission processing means for transmitting device information
of a device specified by the user to the transmission destination
input by the request input means; and information acquisition means
provided to a user terminal device used by the user, for obtaining
the device information transmitted by the information transmission
processing means.
2. The device information notification system according to claim 1,
wherein, when it is determined that information storage means is
designated as a transmission destination, the information
transmission processing means stores the device information in the
information storage means rather than sending the device
information, and the information acquisition means obtains the
device information from the information storage means.
3. The device information notification system according to claim 1,
wherein the request input means and the information transmission
processing means are provided to a device corresponding to device
information obtained by the user.
4. The device information notification system according to claim 1,
wherein the request input means is provided to the device for which
the device information is notified to the user, and the information
transmission processing means is provided to an administration
device of a network to which the device is connected.
5. The device information notification system according to claim 1,
wherein the request input means and the information transmission
processing means are provided to an administration device of a
network to which the device is connected.
6. The device information notification system according to claim 1,
wherein the request input means and the information transmission
processing means are provided to different administration devices
of a network to which the device is connected.
7. The device information notification system according to claim 1,
wherein the device information contains at least one of a network
address and device attribute information of the device.
8. A device information notification system for notifying a user of
device information of a device connected to a network which the
user uses, comprising: request input means for inputting a device
information acquisition request designated by the user; information
transmission processing means for transmitting reference
destination information of device information of a device specified
by the user in response to the device information acquisition
request input by the request input means; and information
acquisition means provided to a user terminal device used by the
user, for obtaining the device information based on the reference
destination information transmitted by the information transmission
processing means.
9. The device information notification system according to claim 8,
wherein the request input means and the information transmission
processing means are provided to a device corresponding to device
information obtained by the user.
10. The device information notification system according to claim
8, wherein the request input means is provided to the device for
which the device information is notified to the user, and the
information transmission processing means is provided to an
administration device of a network to which the device is
connected.
11. The device information notification system according to claim
8, wherein the request input means and the information transmission
processing means are provided to an administration device of a
network to which the device is connected.
12. The device information notification system according to claim
8, wherein the request input means and the information transmission
processing means are respectively provided to different
administration devices of a network to which the device is
connected.
13. The device information notification system according to claim
8, wherein the device information contains at least one of a
network address and device attribute information of the device.
14. A device information notification device for notifying a user
of device information of a device connected to a network which the
user uses, comprising: request input means for inputting a
transmission destination to which the user is able to access and
designated by the user; and information transmission processing
means for transmitting device information of a device specified by
the user to the transmission destination input by the request input
means;
15. The device information notification device according to claim
14, wherein, when it is determined that information storage means
is designated as a transmission destination, the information
transmission processing means stores the device information in the
information storage means rather than sending the device
information, and the information acquisition means obtains the
device information from the information storage means.
16. The device information notification device according to claim
14, wherein the device information contains at least one of a
network address and device attribute information of the device.
17. A device information notification device for notifying a user
of device information of a device connected to a network which the
user uses, comprising: request input means for inputting a device
information acquisition request designated by the user; and
information transmission processing means for transmitting
reference destination information of device information of a device
specified by the user according to the device information
acquisition request input by the request input means; wherein the
user obtains the device information based on the reference
destination information.
18. The device information notification device according to claim
17, wherein the device information contains at least one of a
network address and device attribute information of the device.
19. A device information notification method for notifying a user
of device information of a device connected to a network which the
user uses, comprising: a transmission destination input step of
inputting a transmission destination designated by the user; a
device information transmission step of transmitting device
information of a device specified by the user to the transmission
destination input at the transmission destination input step; and
device information acquisition step of obtaining, in a user
terminal device used by the user, the device information
transmitted at the device information transmission step.
20. The device information notification method according to claim
19, wherein, when it is determined that information storage means
is designated as a transmission destination, the device information
is stored, rather than being transmitted, in the information
storage means at the device information transmission step, and the
device information is obtained from the information storage means
at the information acquisition step.
21. The device information notification method according to claim
19, further comprising an information presenting step of presenting
to the user the device information received at the device
information acquisition step.
22. The device information notification method according to claim
19, wherein the device information contains at least one of a
network address and device attribute information of the device.
23. A device information notification method for notifying a user
of device information of a device connected to a network which the
user uses, comprising: a request input step of inputting a device
information acquisition request designated by the user; an
information transmission step for transmitting reference
destination information of device information of a device specified
by the user according to the device information acquisition request
input at the request input step; an information receiving step of
obtaining, in a user terminal device used by the user, the
reference destination information transmitted at the information
transmission step; and a device information acquisition step of
obtaining, in the user terminal device, the device information
based on the reference destination information received at the
information receiving step.
24. The device information notification method according to claim
23, further comprising an information presenting step of presenting
to the user the device information received at the device
information acquisition step.
25. The device information notification method according to claim
23, wherein the device information contains at least one of a
network address and device attribute information of the device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a method for notifying a
user of a network address or the like in response to a request from
the user who wishes to obtain a network address assigned to a
device, such as a facsimile and a printer, which is connected to a
computer network and its device attribute information in order to
use the connected device.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Many computer networks are now configured to allow
connection with various devices beyond ordinary network adaptable
devices such as facsimiles, printers, and scanners, devices such as
projectors, white boards, and so forth.
[0005] In addition, as the scale of company intranets (internal
networks) has been enlarged, it has become not uncommon for
networks to be administered in sub-units. That is, the entire
network is divided into units of organizations, such as one office,
division, or the like, in consideration of network load or
administration or the like, and a network administrator is assigned
to each of the smaller scale sectional networks for administrative
purposes. In such cases, the system environment is determined such
that a user is allowed to access only devices which are connected
to a sectional network associated with that user.
[0006] To enable access to devices connected to a network, a unique
network address is assigned to each device connected to the network
so that a user can send data including a designation of a network
address from a terminal device through the network, to cause the
device which the user wishes to use to perform a desired operation,
such as printing. A user who wishes to receive data may supply his
own network address as a data transmission designation address when
sending a data transmission request in order to have desired data
sent to him from a network adaptable device. As described above, a
network address is used by both user terminal devices and network
adaptable devices in order to mutually recognize a device connected
to the network in data exchange operation.
[0007] Generally, in a sectional network associated with a division
of a corporation, network addresses of network adaptable devices
connected to the sectional network are registered in advance in the
respective user terminal devices used by users in that division.
This arrangement allows the users to use a desired network
adaptable device without being bothered about a network address. In
addition, as users may, based on their daily experience with the
devices, be familiar with the attribute information of the network
adaptable devices they usually use, such as, for example, sheet
size, print color, print speed, and the like of a printer, the
users can select an appropriate network adaptable device for his
work from among those connected to the network.
[0008] Here, even in situations such as one in which a user
transferred to a different division begins to use a network
adaptable device associated with his new division, one in which a
user wishes to temporarily use a network adaptable device
associated with a division other than the division to which he
belongs, or one in which a user wishes to use a network adaptable
device installed in a site for public use, such as, for example, a
convenience store, each of those users must know the network
address of the network adaptable device he whishes to use, as
described above. A user without specific knowledge of the network
address cannot use the network adaptable device, even if the
network adaptable device is sitting in front of the user. Although
the user could obtain the network address from someone such as a
network administrator, a knowledgeable fellow user, or a person in
charge of network adaptable devices, if no such person is
available, the user will be unable to obtain the address.
[0009] Conventionally, as one of the solutions to this problem, a
user sends a request for transmission of network address and device
attribute information to the device which they wish to use, and, in
response to the request, the device informs the user of its own
network address and device attribute information, so that the user
can know the network address and device attribute information of
the device he wishes to use (a service discovery method).
[0010] Here, "device attribute" refers to information concerning
functions and capabilities of a device. When a device is a printer,
for example, the device attribute may include "network host name",
"device serial number", "device model name", "device manufacturer
name", "applicable protocols", "administration organization",
"printable sheet sizes (A4, B4, letter, and so forth), "page
rotation printing applicability (upside-down, left-right reverse,
mirror reverse, or the like)", "page reordering printing
applicability", "n-up mode applicability (printing a document for n
number of pages on one page)", "sorter availability", "two-side
printing applicability", "enlarged or reduced size printing
applicability", "print resolution (200 dpi (dots per inch), 300
bpi, or the like)", "print color (black and white, n number of
colors, or the like)", "print gradation number (1 bpp (bits per
pixel) for a black-and-white print, 16 bpp for a color print, and
so forth)", "print speed (ppm (pages per minutes, or the number of
pages to print per minute)", "negative-positive reverse printing
applicability", and so forth. Examples of service discovery methods
include, for example, UPnP and Bluetooth.
[0011] Another available method may be a UI method in which each
device has a user interface for presenting its network address so
that a user can know the network address through the user
interface.
[0012] According to the service discovery method, however, because
device information regarding devices connected to a network covered
by a service attribute response means are all informed to the user,
the user may be informed of device information of not only the
device which the user wishes to use but also of other devices.
Thus, the user must specify the information of the device which the
user wishes to use from among all of the provided network address
information or the like. However, there is only one method
presently available which is usable in such specification.
According to this method, that is, a trial method, a user selects
one address from all of the network addresses informed, assuming
that the address is the address of the device which the user wishes
to use, and designates the address to actually use in trial data
exchange. Therefore, two or more trials may be necessary. This is
troublesome and time consuming.
[0013] Meanwhile, according to the UI method, although this method
can uniquely specify a network address, in order to actually use
the address in a user terminal device, the user must record the
presented network address by, for example, writing it down on a
memo and then manually inputting the address into the user terminal
device. This is also troublesome. Moreover, because the UI method
does not present device attribute information, the user cannot know
if the printer he wishes to use is adapted to a printing function
he wishes to utilize. For example, when a user wishes to print on a
metric size A3 sheet of paper using a printer physically available
in front of them, because no attribute information is available,
the user cannot know if the printer can actually print on A3 size
paper. Therefore, similar to the service discovery method, the UI
method may also requires trial printing or inquiring of a person
who is familiar with the device attribute of the printer as to if
the printer is capable of printing the user desires.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention has been conceived in order to obviate
the above described shortcomings, and advantageously provides a
device information notification system, a device information
notification device, and a device information notification method
for allowing a user to readily obtain device information of a
device which the user wishes to use.
[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a device information notification system for notifying a
user of device information of a device connected to a network which
the user uses, comprising request input means for inputting a
transmission destination designated by the user; information
transmission processing means for transmitting device information
of a device specified by the user to the transmission destination
input by the request input means; and information acquisition means
provided to a user terminal device used by the user, for obtaining
the device information transmitted by the information transmission
processing means.
[0016] With this arrangement, device information of just the device
which the user wishes to use can be notified to the transmission
destination which is designated by the user by inputting.
Therefore, the user can readily obtain the device information of
just the device which they wish to use, without receiving device
information of other devices connected to the same network to which
the device which the user wishes to use is connected.
[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, when it is
determined that information storage means is designated as a
transmission destination, the information transmission processing
means may store the device information in the information storage
means, rather than sending the device information, and the
information acquisition means may obtain the device information
from the information storage means.
[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a device information notification system for notifying
a user of device information of a device connected to a network
which the user uses, comprising request input means for inputting a
device information acquisition request designated by the user;
information transmission processing means for transmitting
reference destination information of device information of a device
specified by the user according to the device information
acquisition request input by the request input means; and
information acquisition means provided to a user terminal device
used by the user, for obtaining the device information based on the
reference destination information transmitted by the information
transmission processing means.
[0019] With this arrangement, reference destination information of
the device information of the device which the user wishes to use
can be notified in response to the device information acquisition
request designated by the user by inputting. Alternatively, the
device information may be stored in the information storage means,
in response to user designation. With either of these arrangements,
the user can obtain the device information based on the reference
destination information or from the information storage means. In
the acquisition of the information, the user can obtain the device
information of only the device which the user wishes to use, but
not of other devices.
[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the request
input means and the information transmission processing means may
be provided to a device corresponding to the device information
obtained by the user.
[0021] Further, the request input means may be provided to the
device for which the device information is notified to the user,
and the information transmission processing means may be provided
to an administration device of a network to which the device is
connected.
[0022] Still further, the request input means and the information
transmission processing means may be provided to an administration
device of a network to which the device is connected.
[0023] Yet further, the request input means and the information
transmission processing means may be provided respectively to
different administration devices of a network to which the device
is connected.
[0024] Yet further, the device information may contain at least one
of a network address and device attribute information of the
device.
[0025] According to still another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a device information notification device for
notifying a user of device information of a device connected to a
network which the user uses, comprising request input means for
inputting a transmission destination to which the user is able to
access and designated by the user; and information transmission
processing means for transmitting device information of a device
specified by the user to the transmission destination input by the
request input means.
[0026] In one embodiment, when it is determined that information
storage means is designated as a transmission destination, the
information transmission processing means may store the device
information in the information storage means, rather than sending,
and the information acquisition means may obtain the device
information from the information storage means.
[0027] According to yet another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a device information notification device for
notifying a user of device information of a device connected to a
network which the user uses, comprising request input means for
inputting a device information acquisition request designated by
the user; and information transmission processing means for
transmitting reference destination information of device
information of a device specified by the user according to the
device information acquisition request input by the request input
means; wherein the user obtains the device information based on the
reference destination information.
[0028] In one embodiment, the device information may contain at
least one of a network address and device attribute information of
the device.
[0029] According to yet another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a device information notification method for
notifying a user of device information of a device connected to a
network which the user uses, comprising a transmission destination
input step of inputting a transmission destination designated by
the user; a device information transmission step of transmitting
device information of a device specified by the user to the
transmission destination input at the transmission destination
input step; and device information acquisition step of obtaining,
in a user terminal device used by the user, the device information
transmitted at the device information transmission step.
[0030] In one embodiment, when it is determined that information
storage means is designated as a transmission destination, the
device information is stored, rather than being transmitted, in the
information storage means at the device information transmission
step, and the device information is obtained from the information
storage means at the information acquisition step.
[0031] According to yet another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a device information notification method for
notifying a user of device information of a device connected to a
network which the user uses, comprising a request input step of
inputting a device information acquisition request designated by
the user; an information transmission step for transmitting
reference destination information of device information of a device
specified by the user according to the device information
acquisition request input at the request input step; an information
receiving step of obtaining, in a user terminal device used by the
user, the reference destination information transmitted at the
information transmission step; and a device information acquisition
step of obtaining, in the user terminal device, the device
information based on the reference destination information received
at the (device ?) information receiving step.
[0032] In one embodiment, the above described method may further
comprise an information presenting step of presenting to the user
the device information received at the device information
acquisition step.
[0033] In one embodiment, the device information may contain at
least one of a network address and device attribute information of
the device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a device
information notification system according to a first embodiment of
the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a sequence of processing in the
first embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of content of device
information in the case where the device is a printer in the first
embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a structure of a device
information notification system according to a second embodiment of
the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a structure of a device
information notification system according to a third embodiment of
the present invention; and
[0039] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a structure of a device
information notification system according to a fourth embodiment of
the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0040] In the following, preferred embodiments of the present
invention will be described with reference to the accompanied
drawings.
Embodiment 1
[0041] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a device
information notification system according to a first embodiment of
the present invention. The drawing shows a device 10 and a user
terminal device 20, both connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) 2,
which is a computer network in the present invention. A user uses
the device 10 by operating the user terminal device 20, both of
which are connected to the same LAN 2.
[0042] The device 10 represents a network adaptable device such as
a facsimile, a printer, a scanner, or the like. Although only one
device is shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of devices 10, regardless of
their type, which may be same or different, may be connected. The
device 10 comprises a request input section 12 and an information
transmission processing section 14. The request input section 12 is
used to input a device information acquisition request designated
by a user. When email, for example, is used for acquisition of
device information by the user terminal device 20, as will be
described in this embodiment, an email address is designated by
inputting as a device information acquisition request via the
request input section 12. In return, the information transmission
processing section 14 transmits device information on a concerned
device 10, addressing to the email address input via the request
input section 12.
[0043] The user terminal device 20 is an information processing
device, such as a personal computer (PC), used by a user and
capable of data exchange with a device 10 connected to the LAN 2
while utilizing a network address. The user terminal device 20 has
an information acquisition section 22 for receiving device
information sent from the device 10 through the LAN 2. Device
information received by the user terminal device 20.may include a
network address and device attribute information on the device 10
in this embodiment.
[0044] The present embodiment is characterized in that a device
information acquisition request is input for designation, from a
device 10 which the user wishes to use, so that the user can obtain
device information of the device 10. With this arrangement, a user
can readily obtain the device information of only the device 10
which the user wishes to use, without receiving device information
of other devices, by merely designating a device information
acquisition request by inputting.
[0045] In the following, processing in this embodiment will be
described with reference to the sequence shown in FIG. 2.
[0046] In order to use a device 10 which is connected to the LAN 2
and physically available in front of a user, the user designates an
email address to which he can access as a device information
acquisition request by inputting using a user interface of the
device 10. In return, the request input section 12 receives the
request (S10). At this time, the user does not know the network
address of the device 10. A user interface provided by the request
input section 12 may be, for example, in the form of a Web page
described in an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). Thus, the user
inputs an email address using a form published on a predetermined
Web page, as described above. The request input section 12 sends a
device information transmission request containing the received
email address to the information transmission processing section 14
(S12). A device information transmission request may be created
utilizing a typical format, such as an XML (Extensible Markup
Language) format, as an XML format document.
[0047] Having received the device information transmission request,
the information transmission processing section 14 creates device
information which contains a network address and attribute
information stored in the device 10. After analyzing the XML format
document to determine that an Internet email address is designated
as a transmission designation, the information transmission
processing section 14 sends an email to the address designated in
the device information transmission request, according to the SMTP
(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) (S14).
[0048] The information acquisition section 22 of the user terminal
device 20 receives the email message, and, thus, device
information, from the device 10 according to the POP 3 (Post Office
Protocol Version 3) or APOP (Authenticated Post Office Protocol)
(S16). Then, the information acquisition section 22 can present the
device information included in the received email to the user by
utilizing an appropriate mail function. As described above, the
user can readily obtain the desired device information. FIG. 3
shows the content of device information of a device 10, which is a
printer.
[0049] According to this embodiment, designation of an address at
which a user can receive device information, by inputting via a
device 10 which the user wishes to use, is the sole requirement for
the user to readily obtain necessary device information.
[0050] It should be noted that, although an email address is input
as a device information acquisition request in the above, a device
information acquisition request is not limited to an email address.
For example, when the information acquisition section 22 is
realized using a Web browser and not a mailer, the user may
designate as a device information acquisition request that a Web
browser be used as an information acquisition means. Then, based on
this request, the request input section 12 similarly sends a device
information transmission request to the information transmission
processing section 14.
[0051] The information transmission processing section 14 analyzes
the device information transmission request in the form of an XML
format document sent from the request input section 12 and, when it
is determined that the user's information acquisition means is a
Web browser, sends to the device 10 a URL (Uniform Resource
Locator) as reference destination information which leads to an
HTML format document where a network address and device attribute
information are described. Alternatively, the URL may be, for
example, directed to the user by means of an Internet email or
output via a user interface of the device 10 which is placed in
front of the user and designated by the user as a device
information acquisition request. With this arrangement, the user
can review the Web page according to the HTTP (Hypertext Transfer
Protocol) based on the designated URL and obtain the desired device
information.
[0052] In an alternative example in which the information
acquisition section 22 is realized utilizing an RDB (Relational
Database) using an SQL (Structured Query Language), the user
designates the names of an RDB and a table for registration of
device information, as a device information acquisition request.
The information transmission processing section 14 analyzes the
device information transmission request in the form of an XML
format document sent from the request input section 12 and, when it
is determined that the user's information receiving means utilizes
an RDB which uses an SQL, creates an SQL to use to store the device
information in the RDB and registers, rather than sends, the device
information in the RDB. Registration can be achieved using an ODBC
(Open Database Connectivity). If the information transmission
processing section 14 adds user information to the device
information, the user having received device information from the
RDB can readily know that the received device information is the
device information he requested.
[0053] As described above, the user can obtain device information
from a predetermined table in the RDB by using an ODBC and an SQL,
which is used in the information acquisition section 22. In this
case, completion of registration to the RDG may be notified to the
user using an email.
Embodiment 2
[0054] FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the
structure of a device information notification system in a second
embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, identical
elements to those in the first embodiment are identified by
identical reference numerals. This is also applicable to other
embodiments as will be described later.
[0055] In the structure shown in FIG. 4, a network administration
device 30 is additionally provided to the computer network. Whereas
the request input section 12 and the information transmission
processing section 14 are included in the device 10 in the first
embodiment, the information transmission processing section 14 is
included in the administration device 30 in this embodiment.
[0056] Some of today's network adaptable devices are highly
sophisticated and can function as a single information terminal
device having a CPU, a memory, and so forth. That is, there are
actually available such devices 10, as described in Embodiment 1,
that have a user interface having an input/output function which is
necessary to realize the request input section 12 and any function
(Web-applicable, RDB applicable, and so forth) which is necessary
to realize the information transmission processing section 14.
However, it is not the case that all of the devices 10 have such
functions.
[0057] In this embodiment, in order to apply the present invention
to a device 10 which lacks a function necessary to realize the
information transmission processing section 14, the information
transmission processing section 14 is provided to the
administration device 30. As being realized using a personal
computer, the administration device 30 can possess a. Web function,
RDB, and so forth.
[0058] It should be noted that the structure in this embodiment
other than provision of the information transmission processing
section 14 to the administration device 30 is identical to that in
the first embodiment. Processing in this embodiment is also
identical to that in the first embodiment and thus not described
here, and can produce identical advantages to those provided in the
first embodiment.
Embodiment 3
[0059] FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing a structure
of a device information notification system in a third embodiment
of the present invention. Whereas the information transmission
processing section 14 is provided to the administration device 30
and the request input section 12 is provided to the device 10 in
the second embodiment, the request input section 12 and the
information transmission processing section 14 are both provided to
the administration device 40 in this embodiment in order to apply
the present invention to a device 10 which also lacks a function
necessary to realize the request input section 12. In this case, if
a plurality of devices 10 are connected to the LAN 2, in order to
specify the device 10 among the plurality of devices 10, from which
the user wishes to obtain device information, the user must include
information for specifying the device 10 in a device information
acquisition request.
[0060] It should be noted that the structure of this embodiment,
other than provision of the request input section 12 and the
information transmission processing section 14 to the
administration device 40, is identical to that in the first
embodiment. Processing in this embodiment is also identical to that
in the first embodiment and thus not described here, and can
produce identical advantages as those provided by the present
invention when configured according to the first embodiment.
Embodiment 4
[0061] FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically showing a structure
of a device information notification system in a fourth embodiment
of the present invention. Whereas the request input section 12 and
the information transmission processing section 14 are provided to
a single common administration device 40 in the third embodiment,
these sections may be separately provided to an administration
device 30 and an administration device 50, respectively. Processing
in this embodiment is identical to that in the first embodiment and
thus not described here, and can produce identical advantages as
those provided by the present invention when configured according
to the first embodiment.
[0062] It should be noted that, although a user terminal device, a
network adaptable device, and an administration device are all
connected to the same small-scale network (LAN) in the examples
used to illustrate the above embodiments, these devices may be
located on different small-scale networks, as long as the devices
can communicate to one another via the networks.
[0063] It should also be noted that, although it is described that
device information contains a network address and device attribute
information in the above embodiments, in a case where either a
network address or device attribute information is already obtained
using other methods, only one of the network address and the device
attribute information which is yet to be obtained may be contained
in device information.
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